Ropefish eats a yoyo?

[dbase]

I can only seem to find one of my 2 yoyo loaches. I added them on saturday with a ropefish.

The tank is a 55 gallon with:

1 Black Ghost Knife (3 inch)
1 BN Pleco (4 inch)
6 Serpae Tetras (1.5 inch)
2 Angels (2 inch)

1 Ropefish (8 inch)
2? Yoyo Loaches (1 inch)

I don't know where it could have gone as none of the fish really seem big enough to eat it. The ropefish is my only suspicion, but his body is only about 3/8" thick. His mouth doesn't look very big either, and I don't see a bulge in his body.

Both yoyos were very active so I don't think one would be just hiding. Also, this would have happened between noon and 6:00 today and I thought that the ropefish would only eat at night. I really don't want to start losing fish, what do I do?

[angeltank]

Originally Posted by dbase

I can only seem to find one of my 2 yoyo loaches. I added them on saturday with a ropefish.

The tank is a 55 gallon with:

1 Black Ghost Knife (3 inch)
1 BN Pleco (4 inch)
6 Serpae Tetras (1.5 inch)
2 Angels (2 inch)

1 Ropefish (8 inch)
2? Yoyo Loaches (1 inch)

I don't know where it could have gone as none of the fish really seem big enough to eat it. The ropefish is my only suspicion, but his body is only about 3/8" thick. His mouth doesn't look very big either, and I don't see a bulge in his body.

Both yoyos were very active so I don't think one would be just hiding. Also, this would have happened between noon and 6:00 today and I thought that the ropefish would only eat at night. I really don't want to start losing fish, what do I do?

i have had angels that had 2 inch body's, i added fish to my tank and they actually did start to kill and i think eat a few of the fish that i had added they are territorial. also remember that not all fish are like whales and swallow there food hole so there may not be a bulge.

[dbase]

I haven't seen the angels even mildly harass anyone yet and they pretty much hang out side by side in the mid to upper half while the yoyos are in constant search of food at the bottom. I don't think it could have been the angels. Still no sign of him.

[krap101]

If you have some driftwood or other ornaments, I lost my yoyo quite a few times in my driftwood. When I started taking stuff out, I couldn't find him, but then I found him on the floor right by where I put the driftwood. This happened a few more times before I figured out he was hiding in the driftwood.

[angeltank]

i also had put way to much stuff into the tank and about 15 tiger barbs at the same time so they very well could have been annoyed i have not had any problems since. it was just a guess

[dbase]

I've been hoping that he is hiding, but he was so active before. I was thinking about moving the big piece of driftwood around, but scared that if he was under there I might crush him or the BN Pleco

[dbase]

Originally Posted by angeltank

i also had put way to much stuff into the tank and about 15 tiger barbs at the same time so they very well could have been annoyed i have not had any problems since. it was just a guess

The serpae tetras got kind of aggressive like that when I added the ropefish. They kind of harassed him everytime he went up for air. But they never bothered with the loaches. (thought is was weird that the tetras would try to bug an intimidating looking fish)

[patryuji]

If you have a HOB filter check inside of it as nearly any loach will use them as hiding spots if they can get to them.

Ornaments as others have said.

On a side note I have never had luck with just 2 yo-yo loaches. One quickly becomes dominate and gets nice and fat while the other slowly wastes away...I either have to have a solitary yo-yo (which will often be seen "schooling" with other fish) or 3 or more.

[Innovator]

I will say the possibility exists of the ropefish consuming your loach and eventually consuming your tetras since they do become reasonably sized (= big mouths) and nocturnal hunters. They also seem to do better in small groups, say 3+.

[30searay]

I had a ropefish in my 120g. Mine was just over a foot, maybe 15", and was thicker than 3/8". He ate every fish in sight that he could reach. Most fish up to 1.5", possibly 2" were fair game. He really cleaned me out. I finally took him to a fish store that would take him back. My cardinals are still thanking me.....

[JustOneMore20]

Like said above, if you have any ornaments or driftwood in the tank, its likely they are hidden. I've taken out ornaments when I had Yoyos and did not see the loaches and then they appear and fall on the floor. They are good at hide and seek. Also, check the floor around the tank if you have any open spaces on the top of the tank. I've had them jump more than once.

[dbase]

This morning I took the ropefish back to the store. The other little yoyo was gone, and he had a noticeable lump about midway down his body. I guess it wasn't meant to be.

Any oddball type suggestions for a replacement?


Thanks for the help everybody

[krap101]

Dojo loaches are fun and are kinda like rope fish and so are khuli loaches.

[dbase]

Definitely thinking about 5-6 Khuli loaches and replacing the yoyos. But not for a while, because the yoyos gave the tank ick. They were scratching their bodies on the sand before they were eaten, and I didn't know what was going on at the time, but now I've got ick. So it'll be a few weeks and a quarantine tank away. Thanks for all the help.